


Sorrow

by Cristinuke



Series: Nightmares [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hugging, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-09 08:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4341938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cristinuke/pseuds/Cristinuke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky wakes up sad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sorrow

"Sir, it appears that Mr. Barnes is expressing distressing vitals while in his room." Jarvis' calm voice was clear in Steve's room.

Steve sat up in bed and was throwing off the covers and pulling on a shirt in the same movement before he was up and walking towards the door.

"Is he awake?" Steve asked, opening the door and walking down the hallway to where Bucky's room was. Steve was grateful that Tony had suggested Bucky live on Steve's floor until he was ready for his own space; Bucky wasn't quite ready for his own floor, if the desperate look he got on his face whenever someone mentioned it was anything to go by.

"It appears not, Sir." Replied Jarvis. Steve could swear he heard the concern in the AI's voice.

Steve reached for the handle to Bucky's room, and carefully opened it. He immediately heard soft whimpers and slurred words in the quiet room as Steve walked inside.

"Jarvis, can you turn the lights on a little bit?" Dim lighting came on before Steve had finished his request. What Steve saw made his heart ache.

He could see Bucky was curled up in a tight ball, shaking, and was clutching onto the sheets with white knuckles. As Steve moved closer, he could see tears gathering down Bucky's face and his lips moving stiffly as he mumbled weak protests.

Steve couldn't stand to see him begging someone who wasn't there, so he quietly murmured, "Bucky?"

Bucky started shaking worse, curling up even tighter, and desperately mumbling, "No, no-no-no, no, please, no,"

Steve felt helpless and awful.

"Bucky, c'mon, wake up." Steve tried again, but it wasn't helping the situation at all, with Bucky growing more and more frantic, trapped in a nightmare. Finally, Steve reached a hand out to lightly lay it on Bucky's shoulder and Bucky snapped up, hands wrapping around himself in defense, and going completely still, breath stuck in his throat. Steve saw that Bucky's eyes were wide open and wild, dilated as he scanned the room. His expression was so lost and confused and Steve's heart broke.

Bucky's eyes landed on Steve and after a moment, his confusion seemed to grow until realization dawned on him and his lips formed Steve's name, but no noise came out. Then, on a strangled whimper, Bucky threw his arms forward and desperately held onto Steve as he broke down sobbing.

Steve immediately enveloped him, wrapping his arms tightly around Bucky's frame, and started rocking them both gently back and forth as he listened to Bucky's wordless pain. Steve maneuvered them slightly so that Steve was sitting on the edge of the bed, cradling Bucky close to his chest. Bucky, for his part, buried his face into Steve's neck and tried to smother his cries, but Steve just stroked Bucky's hair back and ignored the steady way his shoulder grew wet.

He held him for a long time, and was surprised by himself when he realized that he was whispering soft encouragements, trying to soothe something that he knew he couldn't begin to understand. Steve's right shoulder ached from where Bucky's metal hand was digging into the flesh, but Steve wasn't about to tell Bucky to let go.

Steve felt powerless again, completely out of his league and useless to help. He didn't know how to fix this mess, or even if he could. So for now, he just tried to erase the harsh trembling that wracked Bucky's body by rubbing his hands up and down his back.

Slowly, Bucky's shaking started to even out, and Bucky quieted a bit. It had been long enough that Steve knew Bucky had reached the point where he simply couldn't cry anymore. He could feel exhaustion radiating from him, and Steve adjusted his grip again, making sure that Bucky knew Steve had him.

Bucky calmed down considerably. He sniffled and breathed noisily out of his open mouth but he gave no indication that he wanted Steve to pull back. A couple times, Bucky snaked a hand back to wipe at his nose, but he tightened his other arm so that Steve knew he didn't want to let go yet.  Steve simply dropped a kiss down on Bucky's bare shoulder and held him steadily.

Bucky grew heavier in his arms, and Steve decided that Bucky should try and fall back asleep if he could. At the very least, he should be horizontal and resting, so that was what Steve planned to do. Telegraphing his every move, and murmuring that he wanted to lie them down, Steve gently changed their positions and helped Bucky lie down with him. The whole time, Bucky's grip got tighter, but that was the only thing he did. 

“I’ll stay here for a bit, if that’s okay with you?” Steve asked gently, trying to give Bucky the option of saying ‘no’, even if Steve knew that he wouldn’t.

Bucky nodded against Steve’s chest and buried himself further against Steve, molding himself bodily and tightening his embrace. Steve readjusted his arms so that he was holding onto Bucky easier and helped him fit better along his body until they were both as comfortable as they were going to be.

“Try and go back to sleep, okay, Buck?” Steve murmured softly. Bucky nodded again, and Steve noticed how his breathing was finally evened out and calm.

They laid in bed like that, matching each other’s breaths and relaxing against each other. But they were both just waiting for morning, both of them unable to fall back asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! :D


End file.
